The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant, botanically known as Weigela florida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Ruby Queen.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands, The objective of the breeding program is to create new Weigela cultivars having dwarf plant habit and dark-colored leaves.
The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1993, in Boskoop, The Netherlands, of the nonpatented cultivar Victoria as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary Weigela selection, as the male, or pollen, parent.
The cultivar Ruby Queen was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The selection of this plant was based on its dwarf growth habit and dark-colored leaves.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Boskoop, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Weigela are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Ruby Queen have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variation in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Ruby Queenxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Ruby Queenxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Dwarf, rounded plant habit.
2. Dense and bushy growth habit.
3. Dark reddish brown leaves.
4. Relatively resistant to pathogens common to Weigela florida. 
Compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Victoria, plants of the new Weigela are much more dwarf and have a more rounded, less upright, plant habit. In addition, plants of the new Weigela and the cultivar Victoria differ in leaf color and size.
Compared to plants of the male parent, the unnamed proprietary Weigela florida selection, plants of the new Weigela are more dwarf, are more freely branching, and have a more rounded, less upright, plant habit. In addition, plants of the new Weigela and the unnamed proprietary selection differ in leaf color.
Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the commercial cultivar Weigela florida Alexandra, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,772. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Weigela differed from plants of the cultivar Alexandra in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Weigela are more dwarf than plants of the cultivar Alexandra.
2. Plants of the new Weigela are more slower growing than plants of the cultivar Alexandra and require less pruning.
3. Plants of the new Weigela are have finer branches and leaves than plants of the cultivar Alexandra.
4. Leaf color of plants of the new Weigela is not as dark as leaf color of plants of the cultivar Alexandra.
Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the nonpatented Weigela florida xe2x80x98Purpurea nanaxe2x80x99. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Weigela differed from plants of the cultivar Purpurea nana in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Weigela have a more dwarf, more rounded and less upright growth habit than plants of the cultivar Purpurea nana.
2. Leaves of plants of the new Weigela are held more perpendicular to stem and not as upright as leaves of plants of the cultivar Purpurea nana.
3. Plants of the new Weigela are have a richer pink flower color than plants of the cultivar Purpurea nana.
4. Leaf color of plants of the new Weigela is darker than leaf color of plants of the cultivar Purpurea nana.
5. Leaf color of plants of the new Weigela becomes darker during the summer whereas leaf color of plants of the cultivar Purpurea nana fades during the summer.